http://www.iaaf.org/GLE06/news/Kind=2/newsId=36052.html
Gay – “When I race Asafa I am going to run through the line” – IAAF Golden League
Saturday 2 September 2006
Berlin, Germany – Just over a week ago in Brussels we witnessed one of the worst and one of the best sprint starts of the season.
Asafa Powell’s ‘sleeper’ at the beginning of the 100m in the Van Damme Memorial has been well documented but not so widely discussed has been Tyson Gay’s rifling response to the gun in the 200m. While Powell was surprised by the speed of the starter’s commands, Gay left his opponents equally stunned by his own impulse reaction. Both men ended up winners, Powell digging deep, while Gay smooth and relaxed coming off the bend, was never headed. The contrast been the two victories was stark.
Tyson Gay of the US wins the men’s 200m at the 2005 World Athletics Final
(Getty Images)
At tomorrow’s DKB-ISTAF Berlin (3 Sep), the conclusion of the IAAF Golden League 2006, the two men will meet in the 100m.
“I don’t think about bringing about an ‘Asafa upset’,” confirmed Gay. “I instead think about the few technical things I have to fix in my own race for me to beat him. And until I get that perfect race it is going to be very hard for me to beat this man.”
“Asafa is very technically sound, he is almost perfect.”
Tyson Gay powers to the 200m win in London
(Getty Images)
“But every time I go out and race I try to have enough confidence that I can get out of the blocks believing that I have the ability to win.”
“There are some things I have to work on to make sure I can be with him at 60m and I believe if I can be with him at that point in a race that there is the possibility that I can run just as fast as him.”
“He has a tendency not to dip, and so I think that maybe that could have cost him a World record. When I race with him, all I can say is that I am going to run right through the line.”
Tyson Gay with winner’s flowers after his 19.79 victory in Brussels
(AFP / Getty Images)
“I try to PR every time I run, and I want to run as fast as he does each time. So if he does slow down it could be an advantage for me as I come on strong at the end of a race.”
When Gay last ran the 100m he achieved his goal, his personal best of 9.84 seconds taking him to second behind Powell’s most recent equalling of the World record (9.77), in Zurich on 18 August. Many saw Gay’s challenge to the Jamaican on that occasion as an important foundation or motivation for Powell’s achievement in that race.
Gay’s recognised strength in the latter part of the race could someday be Powell’s ultimate downfall over 100m.
“I train for 200m, and yes that gives me my strength for the 100. I am a 200 and 100m guy.”
“I have been running the 200 the same way all my life. I run the curve extremely hard and try to relax coming off the bend and bring it home. I feel comfortable running the curve aggressively, while some others do not, and that’s an advantage to me. I want to establish the biggest distance (lead) coming off the bend and then just stay relaxed to the end.”
It is that ability to relax which has played to Gay’s advantage this summer in the 200m, and as Powell has noted himself on a number of occasions he has tendency to tighten-up when challenged. This is certainly what occured in Oslo at the beginning of the Golden League series when Shawn Crawford’s challenge left the fluent, effortless Powell of the earlier preliminary heat looking comparatively rigid in the final. But then 9.98 seconds is the sort of rigidity that most of the world’s athletes only crave.
Gay is not making any outlandish predications in fact he is full of praise for Powell’s ability and talent, and believes the Jamaican is as good a 200m man as he is at the dash.
“Asafa is capable of running 19.5 perhaps 19.4 for the 200m. After all he ran 19.90 and I heard he eased up before the line!”
But one thing is certain tomorrow in Berlin. Gay’s not easing up until he’s run at least 101 metres of the Olympic stadium track